Pocket money

[Kit]

At what age do kids start getting pocket money, and what's the going rate? (I do realise that we can't get away with the 6d we used to get as kids, and that we'll probably have to remortgage the house by the time our little treasureis 9...)

[dml54]

My 3 got pocket money (not a great deal) when I thought they were old enough to not waste it - you'll have to judge that age for yourself. I then increased it on each birthday. My son is 14 and he gets �5.00 per week plus �10 per month for CDs, phone etc. We pay for his clothes, his sport etc. When he is 15 he will also get a monthly clothing allowance.

[derbyram]

Will you adopt me dml54?

[sft42]

MAKE THEM WORK FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do a simple list of chores where the more they do, washing up, tidying their room etc the more they earn up to a maximum.....it will give you less to do and teaches them a vital life lesson.

[Janetex]

Never. They should be beholden to us not we to them. They should also work for the good of the family unit with no expectation of reward and be eternally grateful for any bone we might throw them. I was had a lad demand a reward from me for doing the dinner dishes - I told him that I'd feed him again the next day if he was lucky. Total control over the little .... treasures is my motto.

[coemgen]

My eldest is 15 and gets �10 a week, does absolutely nothing around the house and wastes it all on sweets whereas his younger brother is 11 and only gets �5 a week yet saves his up until he has enough money for a PS2 game. My eldest constantly tells me that his mates gets more than him so I presume the going rate is more although I do still buy his clothes.

[sexy_bef69]

I get �5.00 a week of both my mum and dad but I buy my own clothes. Unless I need something. I'm 14 and when I'm 16, which one of my brothers is my Mum puts �100 in his bank for clothes, school lucnhes etc. My eldest brother, who is 18, gets the same as the younger but when he begins working Mum will reduce the �100 to �50.

[Scamp]

I wasn't given pocket money. I started earning my own money after school when I was 14. I think it was important for me to understand the value of things.

[dml54]

I should add that the two still at home keep their rooms clean and tidy, change their bedding, feed the dog and wash up after Sunday lunch. My 14 year old son also does other odd jobs around the house as and when they need to be done. Once my daughter started work then she paid for everything she wants although she still gets lunch money.

[Greedyfly]

I never got pocket money but my little sister does now and again - not regular though. But she now has a holiday job to pay for her things.

[sarah123]

When I was about 11 and my brother was 10, my mum made some little cards like you would put in the newsagent's window. She wanted a girl to empty the wastepaper baskets in the house for 2 pounds a week and a boy to clear rubbish out of the garden for the same. This was about 10 years ago. It's a good way to introduce the subject to the kids and gives them a bit of self-importance (if that's a good thing)!

[Kit]

Thanks, all - very encouraging - at only 3, money is still all "pennies" to her, but will introduce her to the work ethos as soon as feasible!

[darth vader]

10 quid a week at 15 coemgen? i want to be adopted by you! My eldest is 16 and gets �20 a month though his clothes and basic needs are all bought for him. he will get a �5 rise on his birthday. I don't pay him as a reward for doing chores (as this leads to negotiation and possibly blackmail) but i tell him his money will be stopped if he doesn't do any - what i mean is i expect him to do chores as part of being in a family, and receiving pocket money is also part of being a family, therefore one cannot happen without the other.

[darth vader]

btw i recommend you give your kids pocket money on a monthly basis rather than weekly as they can then get used to adult life of being paid monthly (as this is pretty much a standard nowadays)

[elleo.people]

to darth vader: surely if you are old enough to have children youself then you cannot be addopted by the lovely person that is coemgen. ps you all need to work on your, grammar, spelling, punctuation and vacobulary before i would give any of you any pocket money!!! mwa ha ha!!!